THE SYMBOL OF MARRIAGE IN HENRY JAMES NOVEL THE GOLDEN BOWL VIEWED FROM SAUSSURE S SEMIOTIC THEORY THESIS. By: Yeni Ariska

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1 THE SYMBOL OF MARRIAGE IN HENRY JAMES NOVEL THE GOLDEN BOWL VIEWED FROM SAUSSURE S SEMIOTIC THEORY THESIS By: Yeni Ariska ENGLISH LETTERS AND LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES MAULANA MALIK IBRAHIM STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF MALANG 2015

2 THE SYMBOL OF MARRIAGE IN HENRY JAMES NOVEL THE GOLDEN BOWL VIEWED FROM SAUSSURE S SEMIOTIC THEORY THESIS Presented to Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University of Malang In partial to fulfillment of the requirement for the Degree of SarjanaSastra (S.S.) By: Yeni Ariska NIM Advisor: Dra. Andarwati, M.A ENGLISH LETTERS AND LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES MAULANA MALIK IBRAHIM STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY OF MALANG 2015

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5 STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY Herewith, I Name : Yeni Ariska ID : Faculty Department : Humanities : English Language and Letters Certify that the thesis written to fulfill the requirement for the degree of SarjanaSastra (S1) entitled THE SYMBOL OF MARRIAGE IN HENRY JAMES NOVEL THE GOLDEN BOWL VIEWED FROM SAUSSURE S SEMIOTIC THEORY is truly my original work. It does not incorporate any materials previously written by another person, except those indicates in questions and bibliography. Due to the fact, I am the only person responsible for the thesis if there is any objection or claim from others. Malang, November 16, 2015 The Writer, Yeni Ariska

6 MOTTO ALL THAT YOU DO, DO WITH YOUR MIGHT; THINGS DONE BY HALVES ARE NEVER DONE RIGHT. NN

7 DEDICATION This thesis is proudly dedicated for my only dearest father Supriadi and my mother Hartatik for their pray, suggestion, support, attention, encouragement, and motivation. My beloved husband Saiful Irawan for his inspiration, pray, and love. My sister Jamikati and my brothers Mahmudi and Putra, and my nephew Jazandy, thank you for their pray and motivation. I love you all.

8 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Bismillahirrahmanirrahim I would like to express my best praise to Allah SWT who has given me great of knowledge to accomplish my thesis entitled THE SYMBOL OF MARRIAGE IN HENRY JAMES NOVEL THE GOLDEN BOWL VIEWED FROM SAUSSURE S SEMIOTIC THEORY as the requirement for the degree of SarjanaSastra (S.S.) in English Language and Letters Department Faculty of Humanities at Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University, Malang. Peace and salutation be upon to the Greatest Prophet, Muhammad SAW, who has delivered the truth to human beings all over the world. Here, the writer would like to take this opportunity to say a great thanks to all people surrounds who have many valuable contributions in finishing this thesis: 1. I would like to thank my advisor, Dra. Andarwati, M.A. for her guiding, support, encouragement, and suggestion in writing this thesis. 2. I would like to express the deepest gratitude for lecturers of English Language and Letters Department for their valuable ideas and guidance in my study. My special thank is for Mr. Muzakki Afifuddin, M.Pd for his valuable suggestions, corrections, critiques, and remarkable patience since in this university. 3. My wonderful heroes, my beloved parents, Supriadi and Hartatik who always give me a lot of inspiration and motivation. My husband Saiful Irawan, I say thank you for your encouragement. My sister and

9 brothers; Jamikati, Mahmudi, and Putra. My beloved nephew, Jazandy. I thank you for the pray. 4. My beloved best friends; Arika, Faiqoh, Ima, Bintang, Tyas, Margi, Evin, Diniar, Wildan, Rafi, Mahendra. And BSI 2011 Generation. I thank you so much for love, laugh, happiness, friendship, and many things. 5. All of people who give me support and motivation that I cannot write their name one by one. I thank you very much. Finally, I truly realize that this thesis still needs the constructive criticism, suggestion and encouragement from the readers especially students in English Languageand Letters Department. Malang, November 16, 2015 Yeni Ariska

10 Ariska, Yeni Simbol Pernikahan dalam Novel Henry James yang berjudul the Golden Bowl dilihat dari Teori Semiotik oleh Saussure. Skripsi. Jurusan Bahasa dan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Humaniora. Universitas Islam Negeri Maulana Malik Ibrahim, Malang. Pembimbing : Dra. Andarwati, M.A Kata Kunci : Simbol, the Golden Bowl. Skripsi ini adalah kajian tentang simbol yang digunakan di dalam novel the Golden Bowl dari Henry James. The Golden Bowl sebagai simbol pernikahan telah digunakan sebagai alat untuk mengungkapkan ide penulis dan untuk menggaris bawahi maksud dari cerita. Melalui simbol the golden bowl rahasia dan kebohongan dari masing-masing karakter akan diketahui. Kajian ini akan fokus untuk menganalisa arti sesungguhnya dari simbol the golden bowl di dalam novel. Jadi, penulis menggunakan teori Semiotik dari Saussure untuk menjabarkan segala arti yang tersembunyi dalam novel. Teori Semiotik dari Saussure yaitu sign = signifier + signified sangat tepat untuk menunjukkan satu persatu ide dari James. Di tambah lagi kajian ini menggunakan kritik sastra sebagai acuan untuk mendalami dalam menganalisa novel. Hal ini biasanya melalui proses interpretasi, analisa, dan evaluasi terhadap karya sastra. Penulis akan menggambarkan dialog yang memiliki arti terhadap the golden bowl. Penulis menganalisa simbol menjadi empat arti; the golden bowl sebagai simbol pernikahan, kebohongan, rahasia, dan kesempurnaan. Jadi, the golden bowl adalah benda yang sangat penting di dalam novel. Setelah mengetahui dan memahami simbol yang ada di dalam novel, pembaca akan mempelajari bahwa sangat penting untuk berhati-hati dalam menilai orang lain. Mereka tidak boleh menilai hanya dari penampilannya.

11 التجريد از ضكا ا. ص ح انفني صتح عشس. انك ا ح ان كاح يف احلكا ح سي جايش " ت ك ندا ت ل ي ج ح ان ظس ح " مس ت " عه انفكسج ص ص ز. انسصانح اجل ح انهغح االدب االجنهز ح. كه ح انعه و اال ضا ح انثفالح جايعح ي ن ا يه اتسا ى االصالي ح احلك ي ح مناال ج املشسف : د. ز. ا. ا داز ات, و. ا. انكه ح انضس ح : انك ا ح " ت ك ندا ت ل " انسصانح ثذث ع انك ا ح انري ضتع م احلكا ح " ت ك ندا ت ل " يف احلكا ح سي جايش ضتع ه ك ا ح يف ان كاح. تعرب انكاتة فكس ن عهى املمص د دكا ت ع انك ا ح " ت ك ندا ت ل " هبر املثذث ن عهى صس ي انتعثري انكرب انطثع ح. انكاتة ثذث ن عهى ا املعىن ي انك ا ح " ت ك ندا ت ل يف احلكا ح تاملسكز. اذا. اصتع م انكاتة ي ج ح مس ت عه ص ص ز ي ا : صك + صك ف اد " ن دل افكس اجلايش اددا ت ادد نتذصثم صذ خ جدا. ن ز د املثذث ضتع ه ا م اد االدب. كران طسق شغم االدب تظس ك انعه ح ي ا : تفضري انص زج حته م تث ني. ص ز انكاتة املثذث تااندزاصح امل جح يتعهك عه انك ا ح " ت ك ندا ت ل ". لض تازتعح الضاو. ك ا ح " ت ك ندا ت ل " ك ا ه : _ انك ا ح يف ان كاح _ كرب انفكس _ صس انثذث _ اك ال اجلضى _ اجلضى ا ى يف احلكا ح تعد ا عسف ف ى ك ا ح يف احلكا ح فض دزس انمازؤ " ا انتذرز ا ى عهى انت فال او فس. ال تث تث انظا س فمط. نك ث انظا س تاط ا. ان عاء انر اب

12 Ariska, Yeni The Symbol of Marriage in Henry James Novel the Golden Bowl Viewed from Saussure s Semiotic Theory. Thesis. English Language and Letters Department. Faculty of Humanities. Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University, Malang. Advisor : Dra. Andarwati, M.A. Keywords : Symbol, the Golden Bowl. This thesis is a study of the symbol used in Henry James novel the Golden Bowl. The Golden Bowl as a symbol of marriage has been used as a tool to reveal James ideas and to underline the purpose of the story. Through the golden bowl as a symbol, the character s secret and deceit will be known. This study will focuses to point out the hidden meanings of the symbol the Golden Bowl in the novel. Therefore, the writer uses Semiotic Theory by Saussure to elaborate all of the hidden meanings in the novel. Saussure s Semiotic theory which is sign = signifier + signified is able to show one by one the ideas of James. In addition, this study uses literary criticism as the research design. It is usually regarded an interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of literary works. The writer will describe the dialogues which have the symbol the golden bowl. The writer classifies the symbol into four meanings; the golden bowl as a symbol of marriage, deceit, secrecy, and perfection. Therefore, the golden is very important thing in the novel the Golden Bowl. By knowing and understanding the symbolism of the golden bowl, the readers are able to learn that is very important to be careful to judge other people. They should not judge only from the appearance.

13 TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER... i APPROVAL SHEET... ii LEGITIMATION SHEET... iii STATEMENT OF AUTHENTICITY... iv MOTTO... v DEDICATION... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS... vii ABSTRACT... ix TABLE OF CONTENTS... x CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1.1. Background of the Study Research Questions Objectives of the Study Scope and Limitation Significance of the Study Research Method Research Design Data Source Data Collection Data Analysis Definition of Key Terms... 9 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE 2.1. Structuralism Symbol Semiotic The Sign of Saussure Perspective The Symbol and The Novel CHAPTER III: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 3.1. The Golden Bowl as a Symbol of Marriage The Golden Bowl as a Symbol of Deceit The Golden Bowl as a Symbol of Secrecy... 30

14 3.4. The Golden Bowl as a Symbol of Perfection Discussion CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION 4.1. Conclusion Suggestions BIBLIOGRAPHY APPENDIX CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Literary work is fictional narration which describes entire human experiences. Literary works have been created not only to entertain readers, but also to criticize the social issues which happened in the situation the literary works were created. Literary work emerges with language as the medium. However, it is not created by using ordinary language. It is one of the uniqueness from the literary works. The author is impossible to use explicit meaning to convey their opinion, but they must use a symbol as a medium to cover it. Symbols are usually found as signs, codes, marks, tokens, and etc. Thus, there are hidden meaning in every literary works. In addition, (Pujiyanti, 2010: p.5) argues that the truth inside the fiction is deeper and accurate than the truth of empiric. Moreover, (Dahana, 2011: p.25) argues that fiction as a literary work has a uniqueness that urges the reader to get the deep meaning of the fiction. Thus, to read the literary work, the readers will not only need their brain to just read but

15 also try to imagine or find out the other meaning of the text. As Henry James novel entitled The Golden Bowl is one of the literary works, it also has the hidden meanings of the symbols which is in its novel. Therefore, the writer wants to convey the interpretation of the symbols in the novel by using the theory which is appropriate to analyze the novel. James novel The Golden Bowl has been published in 1904, is one of his masterpiece which has unusual story. Here, the story tells about the hidden relationship between Amerigo and Charlotte. Amerigo is Maggie s husband who is son in law from Charlotte. However, before Amerigo married with Maggie, he was Charlotte s boyfriend. Knowing that Amerigo has a relationship with Charlotte, Maggie tries to separate them. She does not want to end their marriage. Finally, she succeeds her mission and get Amerigo back to her. Before discussing the main topic of the novel, from the title first, there are a lot of interpretation. For the interpretation, the story is easily able to be assumed. However, we are not able to interpret the whole story only from the title because there are a lot of symbols in the novel which will influence the plot. Although this novel is very interesting, there are limit researchers who analyze this novel using semiotic theories. The first researcher is Fony Everlina (1995), who analyzes the golden bowl as symbol used in the novel. She analyzes how the golden bowl represents a symbol of deceit and develop the plot in the novel the Golden Bowl. On the other hand, there is the researcher who analyzes the novel the Golden Bowl by using psychological analysis. The next researcher is Adam Maillet

16 (2011). In his research, he tries to analyze the dark consciousness: theory of mind and Henry James the Golden Bowl. Beside, Atiek Rokhimah (2004) uses semiotic theory to analyze the metaphors in William Wordsworth poem based on Riffatere s theory. She analyzes the figurative language which is found in the poem by William Wordsworth. Therefore the writer wants to analyze the novel using semiotic theory to make the differences with other researchers. As there are a lot of symbols in the novel, the writer will analyze what are the symbols in the novel. Here, the writer attempts to find, analyze and explain what are the symbols and its meanings. In addition, the writer also will analyze how the symbols influence the the story in the novel. Therefore, the readers will be able to give their interpretation for the story before reading the entire novel first. By using the semiotic theory, the writer will give some information about the hidden meanings of the novel. In addition the reader will also understand that actually the word in the dialog or the case in the novel are not happened coincidentally, but have been already planned by the author. To analyze the novel, the writer use semiotic theory. Semiotic is the study about sign. Semiotic recognizes language as the most fundamental and important sign system. A sign system is a linguistic or nonlinguistic object or behavior (or collection of objects or behaviors) that can be analyzed as if it were a specialized language (Tyson, 2006). By using semiotic theory, we will understand that the author attempts to tell something to the reader. Thus the writer attempts to observe what the symbols which symbolize the meaning are and how the symbols influence the plot of the story in the novel the Golden Bowl.

17 When discussing about semiotic, it is not able to be separated from the people who has the big influence to this theory. Ferdinand de Saussure renders his idea about semiology. His idea about sign, signifier and signified is appropriate to be used in analyzing the novel of James. 1.2 Research Question According to the background of the study, the writer has explained that the novel of Henry James the Golden Bowl has many symbolical expressions that can be analyzed. The meanings covered by the symbolical expressions contrive the writer curious to observe the hidden meanings in the novel. Here, the question that will be analyzed by the writer: 1. What are the hidden meanings of the symbol used in Henry James s novel The Golden Bowl? 1.3 Objective of the Study Related with the problem of the study above, this study will focus to point out the meanings of the symbols which are found in the novel. The objective of the study is to elaborate the hidden meanings of the symbols used in the novel. 1.4 Scope and Limitation In this thesis, the writer will focus on the meanings of the symbols. By identifying the expression or situation as a symbol on the novel, the writer will observe in how that situation influences the next situation (for shadow). In

18 addition, the writer wants to convey that a certain expression or situation is able to have a meaning. It depicts a people feeling in the situation. However, the writer will not discuss about all of the symbols in the novel, such the thing which symbolize character, characteristic, and other; the sign which is offered by the character, and the token which is used in the novel. For example, there is a research about the Golden Bowl itself. Thus, the writer only focused on the symbolical expressions on the novel. In addition, the part that will be observed from the novel is volume 1 which consist of two book those are book one and book two. While volume 2 will not be observed by the researcher. 1.5 Significance of the Study As every study must have advantages, the writer hopes that this discussion will give the positive contribution for the development of literary and theory field. In addition, through the thesis, the writer wants to confirm that there are a lot of symbols which is not only offered using signs, codes, letters, etc. by giving the evidence. However, the situations which happened in the novel can be the symbols which symbolize another situation and the people feeling in that situation. In addition, from one situation, we can interpret another situation in the next plot. It means that one situation can give a meaning and imagination for the reader. Moreover, it can be a guide for the readers to indicate how the next situation happened. From the discussion above, the writer hopes the readers will know more about the symbols. The symbols are not only found as the signs, codes, pictures,

19 letters, but also it can be found as the situation which happened in the novel. Moreover, the writer wants to inform the reader that actually the situation in the novel has the close relation with people feeling and other situation. Therefore, by interpreting the meaning of one situation, we can imagine what the people feels in. In addition by contributing in views for developing literary knowledge, the writer hopes that the readers will be more understand about the novel the Golden Bowl. 1.6 Research Method Research Design The literary criticism will be used as the research design in this study. It is usually regarded an interpretation, analysis, and evaluation of literary works. The writer will describe every element of the situations that contain the meaning in the novel of Henry James The Golden Bowl. Dealing with the semiotic theory, understand them, and then try to elaborate the objectives of the study. Every situation will be observed through semiotic theory of Saussure. Based on Saussure s theory about the sign = signifier + signified, the writer will focus on how the expression or situation in the novel can be a symbol and what is the meaning of its symbol. As the writer use the literary criticism for analyzing the study, it is important to understand about the literary criticism itself. What is the theory will be used must be understood carefully. Here the theory will be used is semiotic. Semiotic process really takes place in the reader s mind and it is resulted from a second reading. It means that when we are in the first reading, we just enjoy the

20 text. However, in the next reading we can try to imagine and interpret what is the meaning that contained in the text Data Source There are lot of data to support the researcher for answering the research question. The novel by Henry James the Golden Bowl is one of the data which contain the dialogue will be analyzed. The data is gained from the online source Data Collection In data collection, there are many steps to collect the important data for gaining the information related to the study. Moreover, the data are very important to strengthen the argument of the writer. It is able to gain the data from the online or offline sources. By using the internet, the writer can get more information about the data related to the study. In addition, it is easier to find out the journals and articles in the internet. Internet is the effective medium to enrich the knowledge about the data. Besides that, borrowing any relevant references from library and copying them are the other ways to get the data. After that, reading all of the related data such as journals and articles are expected to support the accuracy of the statement in the study. The last step is gaining all of the data from the sources. After that, the writer will choose and focus on the data that has the close relation with the study Data Analysis For analyzing the data, the writer uses some steps and techniques to make the accurate research. The first step of this study is doing close reading which use Semiotics criticism to guide the process. Close reading here is an intensive analysis of a text in order to come to terms with what it says, how it says it, and

21 what it means. Close reading is about more than comprehension or about something different than comprehension, since it takes one beyond just figuring out an author s stated and implied message. As the only source of the study, novel the Golden Bowl will be read continuously to gain the deep message of the author. The references which is from some sources such as journals, books, articles, and etc. will be read also to gain the information for supporting and strengthen the writer s argument. After close reading, the next step is observing the symbol by knowing the situation that happen in the novel. By understanding the situations, the writer also will be able to reveal the symbols and its meanings through the symbolical expressions. The writer will attempt to give her own interpretation on the symbols and supported by the evidence from some journals and articles related to the study. The third step is observing the way the author depicts the feeling of the character by giving the certain situation. In addition, the writer also observes how the certain previous situation of the novel can influence the next situation or the plot of the novel. The last step is collecting the data references through some sources. Collecting the data references is about gaining the information which will strengthen the argument of the writer. When all of the data are gained together. The writer will focus on the data which has an important relationship with the study. After collecting the data, the writer begins to draw the pattern of the paper. By putting the data into the paper, the study will be accurate. 1.7 Definitions of Key Terms

22 In order to make the reader understand the study, firstly the writer will explain about the some definitions of key terms that will be often used in the study. a. Symbol is a thing, expression, event, or situation which has a meaning. b. Semiotic theory by Saussure is a theory which is known as sign, signifier, and signified.

23 CHAPTER II Review of the Related Literature This chapter will discuss about structuralism, symbol, semiotics, the sign of Saussure perspective, and the symbol and the novel. 2.1 Structuralism Structuralism is an intellectual movement which began in France in the 1950s and is first seen in the work of the anthropologist Claude Levi-Strauss (b. 1908) and the literary critic Roland Barthes ( ). It is difficult to boil structuralism down to a single 'bottom-line' proposition, but if forced to do so that its essence is the belief that things cannot be understood in isolation - they have to be seen in the context of the larger structures they are part of (hence the term 'structuralism'). Structuralism was imported into Britain mainly in the 1970s and attained widespread influence, and even notoriety, throughout the 1980s (Barry:1995, p.45). Structuralism challenged many of the most cherished beliefs of both critics and readers: the assumption that a literary work expresses an author s mind and personality and that it also tells some essential truth about human life. Structuralists state bluntly that the author is dead and that literary discourse has no

24 truth function. In an essay of 1968, the French theorist Roland Barthes put the structuralist view in perhaps its most forceful form. Barthes claimed that the writers only have the power to mix already existing writings, to reassemble them. They cannot use writing to express themselves but can only draw on language, which is already formulated, and culture, which is essentially already expressed in language (in Barthes words it is always already written ). Structuralists also describe themselves as anti-humanist because they oppose all forms of literary criticism in which the meaning is related to a human subject. Of course, if all these tenets were demonstrably true, then writers might as well cast aside their pens and reach for their knitting needles (Charter, 2006). Structuralist approaches to literature challenged some of the most cherished beliefs of the ordinary reader. The literary work, we had long felt, is the child of an author s creative life, and expresses the author s essential self. The text is the place where we enter into a spiritual or humanistic communion with an author s thoughts and feelings. Another fundamental assumption which readers often make is that a good book tells the truth about human life that novels and plays try to tell things as they really are. However, structuralists have tried to persuade us that the author is dead and that literary discourse has no truth function. In a review of a book by Jonathan Culler, John Bayley spoke for the anti-structuralists when he declared, but the sin of semiotics is to attempt to destroy our sense of truth in fiction (Selden, 2005). In a good story, truth precedes fiction and remains separable from it. In a 1968 essay, Roland Barthes put the structuralist view very powerfully, and

25 argued that writers only have the power to mix already existing writings, to reassemble or redeploy them; writers cannot use writing to express themselves, but only to draw upon that immense dictionary of language and culture which is always already written (to use a favourite Barthesian phrase). It would not be misleading to use the term anti-humanism to describe the spirit of structuralism. Indeed the word has been used by structuralists themselves to emphasize their opposition to all forms of literary criticism in which the human subject is the source and origin of literary meaning. According to Schmitz there are three influences were decisive for the emergence of structuralism: First, it inherits ideas from the Formalists. Roman Jakobson, whom plays an important role: during his stay in Prague, he was one of the members of the Prague Linguistic Circle where he formulated a number of ideas that were forerunners of structuralism. Second, in 1942, the French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss (b. 1908) attended lectures delivered by Jakobson in New York. He was fascinated by Jakobson s ideas and attempted to apply them to the study of foreign cultures, especially their religion and myths. This is how structural anthropology developed, and it has in turn exerted an influence on structuralism in linguistics and literary criticism. Third is by far the most important contribution, however, came from the field of linguistics. The Swiss scholar Ferdinand de Saussure ( ) is rightly considered the founding father of structuralism, and it is his work that we will examine first.

26 2.2 Symbol Symbol is one of the figurative language which is used to convey the author messages in their work indirectly. It is a sign in which the relationship between signifier and signified is neither natural nor necessary but arbitrary, that is, decided on by the conventions of a community or by the agreement of some group (Tyson, 2006). In addition, the figurative language such a symbol is very difficult to be interpret. Symbol usually can be interpreted more than one meaning. The whole story in the novel can influence the meaning of symbol. Therefore it is very needful to have the intellect, imagination, and feeling for interpreting the meaning of symbol. According to Dietrich (1974: 89) the interpretation of symbols needs good sense, good judgment, alertness, and most of all caution. While Noth state that everything can thus be perceived as the natural sign of something else, and by prior agreement between a sender and a receiver, every object can also serve as a conventional sign (Noth, 2003). This does not mean that every phenomenon of the world is semiotic. It only means that under conditions of semiotic every object can become a sign to a given interpreter. Therefore, every people is given the authorship to interpret every single object, event, symbol as a sign of something else. However, they must be aware that without having the intellect, imagination, and feeling, their interpretation has no strength argument. In every literary work, the author uses symbol for any purposes, such as to show the message of the story, develop the plot, and also to express the author s idea. In literary work, symbol is not only shown as the object, but the character

27 and event is also called as the symbol. In the novel The Golden Bowl, there are many of event symbol or we usually called as situational symbol. For interpreting the symbol of the novel, the writer must be careful and have the intellect, imagination, and felling on it. As the symbol can be interpreted in many ways, it usually has more than one meaning. However, the reader are free to judge the meaning of symbol because they have different intellect, imagination, and feeling. 2.3 Semiotic Semiotic is a study of symbol. It is recognizing language as the most fundamental and important sign system (Tyson, 2006). Here, the writer uses the semiotic theory of Ferdinand de Saussure which is sign = signifier + signified. The signifier (sound image) is including the objects, gestures, activities, sound, and image. While signified (the concept to which the signifier refers) has many of interpretations and imaginations. While Charter states that the term semiotics (or the alternative term semiology ) is frequently used in close association with the theory of structuralism. In the previous section, it was referred to as a science of signs. It has been argued that literary structuralists are really engaging in semiotics, so some distinctions should be made clear. Structuralism is, strictly speaking, a method of investigation, whereas semiotics can be described as a field of study. Its field is that of sign systems (Charter,2006). In semiotic, there are a lot of experts who have a big influence for the world. Aristotle is a person who has established three part model of semiotics. The next expert is John Locke, in his essay Concerning Human Understanding

28 Proposes importing semiotics into philosophy as a tool for allowing philosopher to understand the relationship between representation and knowledge (Chandler, 1994). However, the writer is using the theory of semiotics by Ferdinand de Saussure. As the theory of Saussure serves the signified and signifier system, it is very compatible to analyze the symbol of the novel. Semiotic realism in its most genuine form originates from the philosophy of Plato. The correlates of the sign are assumed to be nonmental entities (Noth, 2003). The Extreme realist believes that both sense and reference exist in themselves and would exist even if there were no minds to be aware of them. In A mindless world, they would be available for discovery, even if there were nobody to discover. Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Bolzano, and Frege are counted among. The realists in the history of semiotics. For Husserl's Semantic realism. Semiotic is not widely institutionalized as an academic discipline (Chandler, 1994). It is a field of study involving many different theoretical stances and methodological tool. Semiotic involves the study not only of something we refer to as signs in everyday speech, but of anything which stand for something else. In semiotic sense the sign is a symbol which represent the object, gesture, word, etc. however, Saussure believes that semiology was a science which study in how the sign works as the part of the social life. In addition, in every theory for analyzing the literary works, semiotics become the theory which involve itself to embrace the other theory. Ferdinand de Saussure is one of the experts of semiotics theory. However, his theories is never formalized writing, rather his Course in General

29 Linguistics (1916) was synthesized from the notes of his students. The basic principle of his theory is the structure of the sign. Here the writer will mention the table of Saussure s theory of the sign system. Concept Sound image signification Signified Signifier Inseparable unity & arbitrary relationship Figure 2.1 Table of Saussure's theory of sign system The theory of Ferdinand de Saussure is a simple theory and make easier to analyze the novel by Henry James the Golden Bowl. When we talk about the sign system by Saussure, we cannot be separated for his theory about langue (language) and parole (speech). Saussure believes that focusing on the messy aspects of parole would only muddy the understanding of how sign function and chose to focus only on langue. Saussure is popular for his semiology. Semiology is formalized from semiotics theory which theorized the structures to language that create a meaning. Semiology (from the Greek semeion, sign ) would investigate the nature of signs and the laws governing them (Chandler, 1994). In his book General in linguistics, Saussure states that linguistics is only part of the general science of semiology. Language is a system of signs that express ideas, and is therefore comparable to a

30 system of writing, the alphabet of deaf-mutes, symbolic rites, polite formula, military signal, etc. however, it is the most important of all these system. 2.4 The Signs of Saussure Perspective Concepts formulated by one man have greatly influenced the whole of modern literary theory. He is included among the structuralists because that is where his influence is particularly strong but the whole of cultural theory is permeated by distinctions first drawn up by him. If there is some truth in the claim that the whole of western philosophy is but a series of footnotes to Plato, then the same could be said of the relationship between cultural (hence also literary) theory and Ferdinand de Saussure (Charter, 2006). Firstly, Saussure emphasizes that the meanings we give to words are arbitrary, and that these meanings are maintained by convention only. Words, that is to say, are 'unmotivated signs', meaning that there is no inherent connection between a word and what it designates. The word 'hut', for instance, is not in any way 'appropriate' to its meaning, and all linguistic signs are arbitrary like this. (There is the minor exception of a small number of onomatopoeic words like 'cuckoo' and 'hiss', but even these vary between languages.) Insisting that linguistic signs are arbitrary is a fairly obvious point to make, perhaps, and it is not a new thing to say (Plato said it in Ancient Greek times), but it is a new concept to emphasize (which is always much more important), and the structuralists were interested in the implication that if language as a sign system is based on arbitrariness of this kind then it follows that language isn't a reflection of

31 the world and of experience, but a system which stands quite separate from it (Barry:1995, p.48). Secondly, he states that the meaning of words are relational. That is to say, no word can be defined in isolation from other words. The definition of any given word depends upon its relation with other 'adjoining' words. For example, that word 'hut' depends for its precise meaning on its position in a 'paradigmatic chain', that is, a chain of words related in function and meaning each of which could be substituted for any of the others in the given sentence. Thirdly, Saussure said that language constitute our world, it does not just record it or label it. Meaning is always attributed to the object or idea by the human mind, and constructed by and expressed through language: it is not already contained within the thing. Well-known examples of this process would be the choice between paired alternatives like 'terrorist' or 'freedom fighter'. There is no neutral or objective way of designating such a person, merely a choice of two terms which 'construct' that person in certain ways. Another example of the same concept is seen in the two ways of referring to the domestic tax imposed in Britain by the Thatcher government: opponents of this tax called it the poll tax, evoking images of the middle Ages and the Peasants' Revolt. The government itself called the tax the community charge, avoiding the negative word 'tax' and making use of the favored term 'community'. The term for this tax used by a given individual immediately indicated a political position, and, again, no neutral or 'objective' alternative was available. It has been said that there are three versions of every story, your version, my version, and the truth, but the case here is more complicated than that, since all the available terms

32 are purely linguistic - there is no truth about these matters which exists securely outside language. Wherever we look, we see language constituting the world in this way, not just reflecting it. For instance, the words for colours make a reality, they don't just name things which are 'there': the spectrum isn't divided into seven primary colours; all the colours merge into one another. So we might have had fourteen names rather than seven. Another example is the terms we give to the seasons of the year. We have four distinct names ('spring', 'summer', etc.), but actually the year runs continuously without any breaks or decisive changes. It isn't, in reality, divided into four. Why not have six seasons, or eight? Since change is continuous throughout the year the divisions could be made anywhere at all. The seasons, then, are a way of seeing the year, not an objective fact of nature. So Saussure's thinking stressed the way language is arbitrary, relational, and constitutive, and this way of thinking about language greatly influenced the structuralists, because it gives them a model of a system which is self-contained, in which individual items relate to other items and thus create larger structures. One other distinction made by Saussure gave structuralists a way of thinking about the larger structures which were relevant to literature. He used the terms langue and parole to signify, respectively, language as a system or structure on the one hand, and any given utterance in that language on the other. A particular remark in French (a sample of parole) only makes sense to you if you are already in possession of the whole body of rules and conventions governing verbal behaviour which we call 'French' (that is, the langue).

33 The individual remark, then, is a discrete item which only makes sense when seen in relation to a wider containing structure, in the classic structuralist manner. Now, structuralists make use of the langue/parole distinction by seeing the individual literary work (the novel Middlemarch, let's say) as an example of a literary parole. It too only makes sense in the context of some wider containing structure. So the langue which relates to the parole Middlemarch is the notion of the novel as a genre, as a body of literary practice. 2.5 The Symbol and The Novel As novel of James has many of symbols which are served in writing language is very important to analyze it using the theory of semiotics by Saussure. When we read from the tittle first, we can assume that the Golden Bowl is the easy one to be interpreted. Exactly when we just interpreted only the tittle from the literal meaning, of course it has the arbitrary meaning as the bowl which has been made from the golden. However, when we criticize and analyze it from different way; such as using semiotics theory, we will definitely find the hidden meaning which is in the only tittle. Therefore, to interpret the hidden meaning of something, it is very difficult. For the first time reading the novel, actually the reader will interpret the novel based on their first feeling on it. They will judge for no good reason rather than just to judge it. However, for the second and the next reading, the reader will use their intellect and imagination on it. Therefore they will actually has the good interpretation, good judgment, alertness, and most of all caution. By using the

34 strength sources and arguments, the writer will be able to give the good interpretation on the symbols of the novel. However, the reader must be aware that to interpret the symbol of anything, it will not be as easy as they seem. As symbol has two characteristics, conventional symbol and unconventional symbol, the reader have to know first what they are exactly. Conventional symbol is usually called as natural symbol (Potter, 1967). It is born and arbitrary exist. For example is black color. It is usually interpret as a darkness, evil, badness, and etc. It is naturally can be accepted by people around the world. In other hand, the unconventional symbol is the symbol which is only used by personality. For example is when the author of the novel used the symbol based on their feeling and their imagination. The reader will have difficulties to find what the exact meaning of it is. On the other hand, because the reader is free to judge and interpret the meaning of symbol of something they read. It is possible to make their own decision to make a bad judgment or good judgment. By applying their intellect, imagination, and feeling, they will have the discretion to analyze the meaning of the novel they read. Henry James exactly has his own personal symbol in his novel. For example is that in his title of the novel the Golden Bowl, he may put the meaning of love, secret, loyalty, unfaithful. For the reader who has no high imagination and feeling, they may assume that the Golden Bowl is common bowl or something like that. However, when we analyze deeper about the meaning on it. We will imagine why he used the Golden Bowl as the title, what is actually he wants to present for the reader, and how the Golden Bowl can be the title of the novel.

35 Thus, it is very important to have the good intellect and imagination on symbol. For having the good judgment and interpretation, the reader must be wiser. For analyzing the symbol in the novel, the reader must understand about the whole story of the novel. As (Perrine, 1983) states that the symbol has its meaning in the story, not outside it. The reader are not allowed to judge what the symbol represent anything they want, because the meaning of the symbol has the correlation with the content of the novel. Therefore, the reader must understand the content on the novel and then they are free to judge the symbol by their imagination within the novel. By learning the symbols and semiotics itself, the thesis writer will be able to give the interpretation of the symbols in the novel. However, it is needed the strength arguments and sources which will support the writer s idea.

36 CHAPTER III Findings and Discussion This chapter presents the researcher findings concerning to Henry James novel The Golden Bowl volume one; book one and two. c. The Golden Bowl as a Symbol of Marriage Marriage is not only a word which has meaning. It is very precious in life. It shows how people are gained in a sacred moment. People assume a marriage as a pure combination between two people. As marriage is a combination of elements which means that all of the ownership of two people become one. There is no secret on it because all of the stories are theirs. That is why people desire their marriage will gain a perfect happiness. In the novel The Golden Bowl, the writer Henry James tries to depict a marriage become the golden bowl. Why he uses the golden bowl as a symbol? It is able to know that bowl usually has a concave shape. It is used to put in all of the thing on it. It might be good or bad thing or sometimes they can be

37 mixed up all together in one bowl. Thus, 'bowl' here is represent the marriage of Maggie and Amerigo. Then why it must be gold? Gold is a yellow precious metal which is usually used to show the glory. It is also known as a symbol of wealth. Almost people want to have the golden for their prosperity. However, not all people can be happy because of the gold. Although it has a high price but sometimes the price cause a disaster in their life. There reigned among the younger friends of this couple a legend, almost too venerable for historical criticism, that the marriage itself, the happiest of its class, dated from the far twilight of the age, a primitive period when such things such things as American girls accepted as good enough had n t begun to be; so that the pleasant pair had been, as to the risk taken on either side, bold and original, honorably marked, for the evening of life, (James, 21). The discussion above is an illustration of the story in Maggie and Amerigo's marriage. Maggie assumes that her marriage is happy with her husband. She is also happy for her father's marriage with Charlotte. However, there is something bad that Maggie does not know about. She does not know that her marriage which is very precious for her has a flaws on it. It is same with the golden bowl which has a cracks. No one knows about the secret love in Maggie's marriage until she knows that the golden bowl actually has an imperfect shape or cracks on it. d. The Golden Bowl as a Symbol of Deceit

38 There are many situations in which the bowl is involved in revealing the character s dishonesty. The golden bowl itself has a deceptive appearance. Actually, the golden bowl is not really made from gold, eventhough it it is large, heavy, and solid. It is made from imperfect crystal which looks like gold. Moreover, the bowl has a fracture in it, a slight cracked that people could not easily see. Thus, by using this object, Henry James indirectly presents the flaw in the main characters in how they treats their marriage. The first appearance of the golden bowl in the novel shows that the dealer of the antique shop intends to deceive Charlotte. Amerigo and Charlotte see the golden bowl in the Bloomsbury shop. The dealer is trying to persuade them to buy the imperfect golden bowl. He overstates that especially keeps the golden bowl for Charlotte. Then if it s so precious how comes it to be cheap? Then the shop owner tried to answer Charlotte uses a trick. Ah I ve had it a long time without selling it. I think I must have been keeping it, madam, for you. (James, 64). The shop owner plays a trick on Charlotte about the quality of the bowl. He does not want to admit its flaws because he wants to gain profit for himself. The shop owner tried to act as good as possible so that Charlotte believes that the golden bowl is very precious and valuable. The main reason of his trick is caused by the golden bowl can be bought by Charlotte. He cannot allow Charlotte knows about the flaws of the imperfect bowl.

39 Oh it s not for me to say; it s for you honestly to tell me. Of course I know something must be. But if it s something you can t find out isn t that as good as if it were nothing? (James, 64). By his words above, it is obvious that the shop owner does not want to show the crack of the bowl. He wants her to think that the golden bowl as a perfect thing which contains no flaws. He intends to deceive Charlotte. Cunningly, he follows the course of her mind. He knows that Charlotte is attracted by the beauty of the bowl, so he fixes his attention on Charlotte and continuously cheats Charlotte by asking too much price for the flawed object. What do you call, she asked, little enough? Well, what should you say to fifteen pounds? I should say, said Charlotte with the utmost promptitude, that it s altogether too much. The dealer shook his head slowly and sadly, but firmly. It s my price, madam, and if you admire the thing I think it really might be yours. It s not too much. It s too little. It s almost nothing. I can t go lower. (James, 65). He believes that Charlotte thinks the bowl is perfect, so he says that the price of this valuable object is not really expensive. From this scene, the shop owner tried to cheat Charlotte twice, that are about the quality and the price. The deception continues and now to Charlotte who tells a lie to Amerigo. Because she cannot afford the price, this young woman lies to Amerigo. The price of the golden bowl is fifteen pounds, but Charlotte tells Amerigo that the price is only five pounds. His price is so moderate. She waited but a moment. Five pounds. Really so little. He continued to look at her. Five pounds? Five pounds. (James, 67).

40 From the dialogue above, Charlotte shows her dishonesty to Amerigo. It is not clear why she deceives Amerigo. However, it is one of the fact that Charlotte do a little deception to Amerigo. Such the golden bowl has the flaws, both of them also hide their own flaws in their heart. Like the golden bowl which is embodiment of deceit, the special relationship between Charlotte and Amerigo is also full of deceit. Amerigo is going to get married with Maggie, however, he agrees to accompany Charlotte to find a present for their marriage. It also happen to the marriage of Maggie and Amerigo. Instead she gives herself to him. Amerigo has betrayed his future wife by having a affair with Charlotte, while Charlotte has betrayed her friend and who later becomes her stepdaughter. Both of them spend time together and continue their former relationship without Maggie s knowledge. They deceive her and the society about their real relationship. The public only know that Amerigo as Charlotte s son-in-law. So like the bowl, they also hide their false relationship. When they are having a free time together outside the Verver s house, the picture of the golden bowl comes to their mind. I feel the day like a great gold cup that we must somehow drain together. I feel it, as you always make me feel everything, just as you do; so that I know ten miles off how you feel! But do you remember, she asked, apropos of great gold cups, the beautiful one, the real one, that I offered you so long ago and that you would n t have? Just before your marriage she brought it back to him: the gilded crystal bowl in the little Bloomsbury shop. (James, 194).

41 This quotation shows the mentioning of the golden bowl while they are deceiving their own spouses. It brings a remembrance of their dishonesty toward Maggie, of their being together on the eve of his marriage and that they have deceived Maggie and her father also other people. Actually both of them should be home after the dinner party of Matcham. As they are filled with passion, they continue to travel further than they expect it. The mentioning of the great gold cup the gilded crystal bowl in their speech in the middle of their scandalous deed, reflects their deceit which later on, they do not allow the secret to be known. When they are asked, they just say that they want to explore the beauty of Matcham. Amerigo and Charlotte deceive the society, especially Maggie, Mr. Verver, and Mrs. Assingham, about their scandalous deed. They never mention their secret love. As long as the bowl still exists both Amerigo and Charlotte still deceive their spouse and other people. The golden bowl is also related to a deceit made by Mrs. Assingham. It happens after Maggie informs and shows her the golden bowl. The piece now recognised by Fanny as new to her own vision was a capacious bowl, of old-looking, rather strikingly yellow gold, mounted by a short stem on an ample foot which held a central position above the fireplace, where, to allow it the better to show, a clearance had been made of other objects, notably of the LouisSeize clock that accompanied the candelabra. This latter trophy ticked at present the marble slab of a commode that exactly matched it in splendour and style. (James, 307). Seeing the golden bowl, Mrs. Assingham starts to make up her deceit by not telling the truth about the relationship between Amerigo and Charlotte. She